By Alessandra Cardone
GENOA, Italy, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The private company managing most of Italy's highway network came under heavy fire on Thursday, in the aftermath of the dramatic collapse of a bridge in the northwest city of Genoa on Aug. 14 that claimed dozens of lives.
The Italian government announced its intention to revoke the concession to Autostrade per l'Italia, although Genoa's prosecution office was still investigating into the specific causes of the incident.
The official statement came from Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte late on Wednesday.
"We will revoke the concession because there is no doubt that -- as far as the highway system is concerned -- Autostrade had the responsibility and the duty to maintain the viaduct in a way as to ensure the full safety of citizens," Conte told a press conference.
On Thursday, Deputy PM Luigi DI Maio reiterated such position, with harsher words.
"If privates are not able to manage a highway, the state will move in," Di Maio told reporters outside Genoa's prefecture after a technical meeting held with rescue agencies and local authorities.
"It is unconceivable that people pays a toll to die ... And we will see in what ways the government will move in the next months, now that there is the concession withdrawal (on the table)," the Vice prime minister added.
Soon after Prime Minister Conte had officially announced the intention to revoke the concession, Autostrade had said it was "confident to be able to demonstrate it has always correctly fulfilled its obligations as a concessionaire."
It further responded to the attacks on Thursday, stressing in a statement that "all of the managers, women, and men of the group are the first to be interested in searching the truth in the tragedy of Genoa's viaduct."
"With this goal, they are actively cooperating with the authorities in charge."
Autostrade further said it would rigorously take the necessary measures in case internal investigations, or the probes carried out by authorities, should unveil responsibilities of executive officers, officials, or technicians of the company, "even regardless possible criminal aspects."
Meanwhile, the shares of international holding company Atlantia operating toll motorways and airports in Italy and other countries -- of which Autostrade is part -- fell heavily on the Milan stock market on Thursday morning.
The holding posted a total revenue of 6.0 billion euros (6.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, according to its official group profile.
The viaduct involved in the collapse on Tuesday -- also called "Morandi Bridge" -- was built between 1963 and 1967. It served as a major connection linking western and eastern Genoa, and between the city and two highways leading towards the Lombardy region and the French border, respectively.
The collapse concerned a central portion of the 1,182-meter long bridge, which had undergone an overhaul in 2016.
A death toll of 39 was confirmed by the prefecture on Thursday, yet it remained provisional. Some 15 wounded people were hospitalized, nine of which in serious conditions.
Some 380 firefighters kept searching for the third consecutive days on the site of the incident. They were working now with cranes and heavy equipment only to remove the huge concrete debris and reach those who may still be missing.
As many as 10-20 people may still be missing in the bridge collapse incident in Genoa two days ago, local media cited the city's chief prosecutor as saying on Thursday.
